Former Foreign Trade University student wins full scholarship to top UK university.

Pham Vu Dieu Linh, born in 2002, graduated with a Bachelor's degree in International Economics from the High-Quality Program at the Foreign Trade University with an Excellent grade and a GPA of 3.96/4.00. Throughout all six semesters, Dieu Linh received the university's Academic Encouragement Scholarship and completed her undergraduate program early in 3.5 years.

These outstanding academic results are a crucial foundation that helps Dieu Linh build a strong academic profile when applying for postgraduate scholarships.

Besides her academic achievements, Dieu Linh also serves as the Head of the High-Quality International Economics Program, Batch 59, responsible for coordinating and connecting over 100 students in the course.

Pham Vu Dieu Linh at the Oxford University campus, October 2024.

Sharing her experience of receiving the Think Big scholarship acceptance notification, Dieu Linh said it was a particularly unforgettable experience. She opened the email at midnight, and didn't have high expectations about her chances of winning the scholarship, especially the highest award.

"When I read the announcement that I had been awarded the Think Big full scholarship worth £28,000, I had to read it over and over again to make sure I wasn't mistaken," Dieu Linh recounted.

That moment marked the first time Diệu Linh's dream of studying abroad in England – a land associated with familiar images from English textbooks – became a reality. The University of Bristol is currently ranked among the top 51 universities in the world according to the QS Ranking, and is in the top 10 universities in the UK. The overall acceptance rate for the university is around 67% according to the FOI Response statistics for 2025. However, the Think Big Scholarship is much more competitive.

Each year, the university awards only 5 top scholarships worth £26,000, alongside 10 scholarships of £13,000 and 20 scholarships of £6,500 to applicants worldwide. With over 12,000 applications, the competition rate for a full scholarship is equivalent to 0.04%.

Diệu Linh's intention to study abroad was formed quite early. In 11th grade, she received a full scholarship for a short-term exchange program in Japan. By the end of her third year of university, Diệu Linh set a clear goal: to win a full scholarship to pursue a master's degree in the UK.

After graduating in the first round in January 2024, despite having just recovered from a severe bout of dengue fever requiring hospitalization, Dieu Linh still began preparing scholarship applications for both the UK and Australia within three months.

She established a fixed daily schedule of 2-3 hours for writing essays, while also carefully managing deadlines for requesting letters of recommendation, taking the IELTS exam, and submitting applications for admission and scholarships.

The challenge behind a "perfect" resume

Diệu Linh stated that the biggest challenge in the scholarship application process was the tight deadlines, while the application essay and the scholarship essay are two completely different tasks. In addition, maintaining a high GPA throughout her studies, alongside extracurricular activities, internships, and thesis work, created considerable pressure.

In April 2024, Dieu Linh graduated with distinction with a GPA of 3.96/4.00, ranking second in the high-quality International Economics program at the Foreign Trade University.

Another challenge came from her health, as Dieu Linh had to be hospitalized for dengue fever during the peak period of application preparation. Despite this, she still managed to use her recovery time to continue working on her essay.

Diệu Linh graduated as the valedictorian of the High-Quality Program in International Economics at the Foreign Trade University.

Despite starting out as an International Economics student, Dieu Linh chose to pursue an MSc in Global Development and Environment at the University of Bristol.

During her internships at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the German Development Cooperation Organization (GIZ), Dieu Linh realized that sustainable development is becoming one of the important directions, especially in the context of globalization and climate change.

"I realized that I'm really suited to a multicultural work environment and development organizations ," Dieu Linh said.

Dieu Linh's profile is strengthened by a series of practical activities and leadership roles. She was one of five students selected to represent Vietnam at the "Women in Economics and Finance: Economic Outlook and Climate Finance" conference, attended by Janet Yellen, former Governor of the Federal Reserve. Additionally, Dieu Linh participated in the Organizing Committee of the Global Citizen Summer Camp 2023 and the Dash For Impact 2022 competition organized by AIESEC in Vietnam.

In her Think Big scholarship essay, Dieu Linh focused on clarifying her future plans linked to sustainable development issues, mentioning the $15.5 billion JETP support package for Vietnam and the net zero target committed at COP26, while also directly relating it to her study program in Bristol.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuong Anh, Deputy Head of the Department of International Economics, Foreign Trade University, said that Dieu Linh is one of the most outstanding students she has ever mentored. She consistently ranked in the top 1% of her class, completed the program ahead of schedule, and demonstrated impressive leadership and independent research abilities right from her undergraduate studies.

Ms. Le Thi Thanh Thao, Head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vietnam, highly praised "the outstanding maturity of this young woman, who is in her teens, for an intern, with her ability to adapt quickly, her high sense of responsibility, and her clear problem-solving skills."

Looking back on her journey, Dieu Linh emphasizes the important roles of family, friends, and the learning environment. According to her, peer pressure is not a barrier but a motivation that helps her constantly improve.

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